Aircraft weapons pod including rail launcher

Abstract

An aircraft comprising a weapons pod including an enclosure mounted to an outer mold line of the aircraft, and at least one missile rail launcher mounted entirely within and fixed to the enclosure.

1 . An aircraft comprising:
 a weapons pod including an enclosure mounted to an outer mold line of the aircraft, wherein the enclosure includes forward and aft doors having a clamshell configuration and are opened and closed by independent drive mechanisms; and   at least one missile rail launcher mounted entirely within and fixed to the enclosure.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein an outer mold line of the enclosure is shaped to minimize aerodynamic drag and radar signature. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , further comprising an air-launched missile carried by one of the at least one rail launchers, the missile enclosed entirely by the enclosure prior to launch. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes means for causing the forward and aft doors to create an airstream through the enclosure prior to missile launch. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft of  claim 4 , wherein the means includes a controller for opening the aft door before the forward door prior to the missile launch, and closing both doors immediately after the missile launch. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the forward and aft doors provide symmetric loading during opening and closing. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes a sidewall and a centerline keel as primary load-carrying member; and wherein the at least one rail launcher is mounted to the centerline keel. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The aircraft of  claim 8 , further comprising a pylon for mounting the pod to the outer mold line of the aircraft; and wherein the centerline keel is mounted in-line with the pylon so as to transmit launch loads to the pylon. 
     
     
         11 . The aircraft of  claim 10 , further comprising a wing; wherein the pylon mounts the weapons pod to a lower outer mold line of the wing. 
     
     
         12 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is constructed as a torque box. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating the aircraft of  claim 1 , comprising:
 creating an airstream within the weapons pod prior to missile launch; and   launching a missile from one of the at least one rail launchers without kinematically deploying the missile outside of the enclosure.   
     
     
         14 . A missile launch system mountable to an outer mold line of an aircraft, the system comprising:
 an enclosure having forward and aft doors having a clamshell configuration;   at least one rail launcher mounted entirely within and fixed to the enclosure; and   a controller and independent drive mechanisms for opening the aft door and then the forward door to create an airstream through the enclosure prior to missile launch.   
     
     
         15 . A weapons pod comprising:
 an enclosure including a sidewall and a centerline keel, wherein the enclosure includes forward and aft doors having a clamshell configuration and are opened and closed by independent drive mechanisms; and   a plurality of rail launchers fixed to the centerline keel;   the sidewall surrounding the centerline keel and the rail launchers.   
     
     
         16 . The weapons pod of  claim 15 , wherein the centerline keel runs a length of the sidewall. 
     
     
         17 . The weapons pod of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of air-launched missiles carried by the rail launchers and enclosed entirely by the enclosure prior to missile launch. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating the weapons pod of  claim 17 , comprising:
 creating an airstream within the enclosure prior to missile launch; and launching at least one of the missiles without kinematic deployment outside of the enclosure.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The weapons pod of  claim 15 , further comprising a controller and independent drive mechanisms for opening the aft door before the forward door prior to missile launch and closing both doors immediately after the missile launch. 
     
     
         21 . The aircraft of  claim 1 , wherein each clamshell door comprises a hinged upper section and a hinged lower section. 
     
     
         22 . The aircraft of  claim 21 , wherein the hinged upper and lower sections are each configured to rotate outwardly from a midplane of the enclosure. 
     
     
         23 . The aircraft of  claim 21 , wherein each of the hinged upper and lower sections are configured to rotate in opposite directions when transitioned from the closed position to the open position.